Now that summer is here, you may be excited to spend time outside doing your favorite activities. During these warmer months many people like to pass their time gardening, listening to live music, swimming, or watching fireworks.
During the month of July especially, many individuals find themselves watching spectacular firework shows or even shooting their own fireworks in their backyard. Although fireworks are great fun, they can also be harmful to your hearing.
Discover how to keep your hearing safe this summer while still enjoying your favorite activities.
How Loud Are Fireworks?
Fireworks can be dangerously loud, especially if you are shooting your own or watching them from directly below. Fireworks can produce a sound that reaches from 145 to 170 decibels. Any sound that measures over 85 decibels can be harmful to your hearing, and fireworks can be double that.
Exposure to loud sounds can result in the following:
- Tinnitus – ringing in the ears, which can be the result of hearing loss.
- Temporary hearing loss – you may experience a temporary loss in your hearing after being near an explosion such as fireworks.
- Permanent hearing loss – noise-induced hearing loss happens when you are regularly exposed to sounds over 85 decibels or immediate hearing loss can occur when you hear a sound over 120 decibels.
How to Keep Your Hearing Safe
Noise-induced hearing loss from exposure to fireworks is incredibly common. It’s important to keep your hearing safe during the summer months and be proactive against hearing loss. Luckily there are ways you can still watch fireworks and keep your hearing safe.